Coming Home
by Mrs. Brownloe
Summary: Always the Bridesmaid, never the bride. Bella's pretty disgusted with the dating scene, at least her dating scene. She's lonely and drifting. But then, she's thrown in with Edward and they discover a mutual love of Austen. Could good Ol' Jane be the key?


Title: **Coming Home**  
Category: Books » Twilight  
Author: Lady Gwynedd  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M  
Genre: Romance/General  
Published: 05-08-10, Updated: 05-08-10  
Chapters: 1, Words: 4,028

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** Chapter 1**

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'Til Death Do Us Part Contest

Pen Name(s): Lady Gwynedd

Title: Coming Home

Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight. SM does.

Summary: Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Bella Swan is disgusted with men and love and weddings in general. But Alice is her best friend and she must be her maid of honor, ugly dress and all.

"Damn!" Bella swore in frustration. Why must these feckin dresses require specialized underwear in order to wear them? Bella twisted the bra around her waist and flipped it up to situate her breasts in the cups. She looked at her reflection as she stood in front of the mirror. "How about that? Cleavage! Hmmm."

She slipped the poufy, strapless dress over her head and zipped up the side. "This dress is damn ugly." She looked like an inverted tulip. Then it dawned on her. The bride's maids were carrying tulips, weren't they? "Oh, Alice, how could you do this to us?" Sighing she got her shoes out of the box and moaned to see the three inch heels. "She's definitely trying to kill me!"

Once Bella got the entire bride's maid trappings on she looked at the final result in the mirror. Yep. She looked like any other bride's maid she had ever seen - ridiculous.

There was no help for it. She grabbed her purse, left her room and carefully walked down the hotel hallway to the bride's room. She found Alice and Rose in a frazzled mess trying to get the bride's gown over her head without messing up her makeup and hair.

"Why don't you step into the dress, Alice, instead of trying to get it over your head?" Bella suggested. Rose and Alice looked at each other like the dawn was breaking and then did as Bella suggested. They eventually got the rest of Alice together and then went down to the limo to ride to the church. Bella was praying she wouldn't fall on her ass in the heels she was wearing. It wasn't that she was clumsy, it was just that she wasn't used to wearing any of this crap; heels, poufy strapless dress, pantyhose, and even make up. She was a creature of comfort at heart.

Her partner for the day, Edward Cullen, was the college roommate of the groom, Alice's devoted Jasper. She had met Edward several times over the years and found him to be pretty damn intriguing. As a matter of fact, they almost 'hooked up' at a party a few years ago but it didn't work out for some reason. It may have had something to do with the loser boyfriend Bella had at the time. Bella was hoping that maybe they could explore the possibilities this weekend. They were paired up after all.

During the rehearsal, she didn't have a lot of time to talk with him as they both had maid of honor and best man responsibilities. He definitely was good looking but then, all Jasper's groomsmen were. They must all belong to the Men's UST Club. Sexual tension just sort of vibrated around them, the opposite of how it vibrated around her. She was her own unfailing cock blocker. She didn't know why. Her love life was just sorry and lame ass for no good reason as far as she could see. Tonight, though, she was looking for a little something-something. Something that would make her feel less – empty? Alone?

The wedding went off without a hitch. Bella didn't stumble once in the stupid ass shoes she was wearing and she could appreciate how they made her legs look pretty hot. Besides, she had cleavage for the first time in her life thanks to the nasty bra Alice made her wear. Maybe she'd thank her later. It depended upon how her evening went.

At the reception, she sat between Edward and Emmett, Rosalie's boyfriend. It was late enough in the evening and Rosalie and Emmett had drunk enough and the lights were low enough that they felt it was okay to play suck face/grope body at the table; so not wanting to disturb their tryst, Bella angled her chair away from them and towards Edward.

She ordered another cosmopolitan. What could she say? She liked cranberry juice and she was hoping the added alcohol boost would do two things 1) make her more at ease; therefore, 2) make her more desirable for the hottie that was E.C. Wasn't that how alcohol worked?

She smiled at Edward who was desultorily flipping the dessert fork over and over as he stared at the center piece on the table. He didn't know she smiled at him. What could be so interesting about the center piece? She looked at it herself. More tulips. It figured. She shrugged and said, "Well, Edward, what are your plans now that you've graduated?"

He shook himself and looked at her, "I am going to law school in Seattle."

Wow. He was smart as well as hot. She didn't have a chance with him, then. She was counting on hot and stupid. Sighing, she picked up her cosmo and drank it down, then signaled the waiter for another. What in the world was she going to do to keep from dying from boredom (or loneliness) tonight? Her duties as maid of honor were over. It looked like a random hook up with Edward was out. If he was smart, though, maybe they could have a conversation.

"Law school? You are aiming to be the next Perry Mason?" She was a sucker for old television shows.

He cracked a smile, "No. Law school is a good place to go when you aren't sure where it is you should be. You can postpone adulthood for a few more years."

"Hmmm. Medical school takes longer, if that is your aim."

"Yeah, but there's the danger of accidentally killing someone during that process. Law school is less bloody."

"You've got a point." She took a sip from her newly served drink. "I personally think literature isn't nearly as boring as the law and can be as bloody as med school but only figuratively."

"Literature?"

"Yeah. I am going back for my Master's Degree in British Literature at UDub."

"Why not American Literature?"

"Austen was British."

"Oh. You're one of those?"

"One of those? What do you mean?"

"One of those girls who dream of empire waist gowns, good manners, frock coats, and propriety."

"Naa ahh. Not me."

"Tell me you and like minded girl friends didn't have at least one six hour _Pride and Prejudice_ marathon with the A&E 1995 production."

"How do _you_ know about the '95 A&E _Pride and Prejudice_ production?"

"I had a girlfriend who told me to my face she'd cheat on me with Colin Firth if she ever had the chance. She was a Brit Lit major, too."

"Had a girlfriend?"

"Yep. Had. As in not now."

"I'm the Lit Major, remember? I understand past tense."

"Good. I wish I did."

Bella blinked at that. Shit. He's still hooked on the ex. Lovely. This night was going to hell in a hand basket. "So, she ran into Colin Firth and gave you the deep six?"

Edward snorted, "Nothing so exciting. I believe she told me that it wasn't me, it was her."

"Ouch. I've heard that one before, too. I bored him to death, I guess."

"He must have been brain dead to be bored."

"There's only so many Austen marathons a guy can sit through."

He chuckled, "Don't I know it."

"You don't like Austen?"

"Honestly, I don't want to answer that question."

"Why?"

"It can be misinterpreted."

"Misinterpreted? How so?"

"They'd make me turn in my man card."

"So, only women can like Austen?"

"Apparently."

Bella dropped her voice to a whisper, "Just between the two of us then and I promise to keep your secret, I swear- You are a closet Austen fan?"

Edward leaned his head towards Bella's and whispered back, "Shhhh. Don't let it get out."

Bella's eyes sparkled and she continued to whisper, "Do you know what I've got in my room?"

He choked on his vodka tonic. "Uhm… a bed?"

She smirked, "Well, of course but I also have the '05 P&P movie starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen."

"No way! I've never seen that one."

"Your ex didn't insist upon it?"

"No. As far as she was concerned the '95 version was gospel and the Keira Knightley version an abomination."

"It wasn't so bad, really. I liked it very much," she grinned at him and a few seconds later said, "I've got a proposition."

"You do?"

"How about we go to my room, break into the mini bar, and watch it together?"

"In our P.J.s?" he asked, chuckling.

"If you want."

He laughed, "No make overs, though, okay?"

"Deal."

"As soon as the happy bride and groom leave, we'll sneak up there."

"Okay."

Their timing was good because just ten minutes later they were lighting sparklers to wave as the Bride and Groom left in their horse drawn carriage to wherever bride and grooms go.

Bella winked at Edward and nodded her head in the direction of the elevators. They slipped away without anyone noticing and snickered as they ran down the hall to her room once they got off on her floor. Bella let Edward in then ran around trying to pick up the clothes she had left scattered about. "I am sorry for the mess but I was in a hurry trying to get out of here today."

"Oh, don't worry. My room is worse." There was one king-sized bed in the room across from a thirty-two inch flat screen TV. They were going to have to sit on the bed to watch the movie. It was the only reasonable place.

"Edward, I am going to get out of these torture devices. Why don't you make some drinks from the mini-bar while I change?"

Bella gathered her pajamas – they happened to be a midnight blue silk set that her mother gave her for Christmas one year – and went into the bath room. She hurriedly got out of her tulip shaped dress, kicked off her shoes, peeled off the constricting panty hose, and unhooked the stupid bra. She slipped into her pajamas then hung up the dress and folded up the hose and bra. She slapped on her moisturizer and took off her makeup. Pulling out her hairpins, she brushed the hairspray out of her hair. Edward was going to see her exactly as she was: Austen-geek nature-girl.

When she got back into the bedroom, Edward had stripped down to his trousers and t-shirt. He still looked mighty fine, but she reined herself in. They were having a Austen slumber party, not an Austen sexin' party.

"I made you a rum and coke since that seemed the only likely combination in this thing." He indicated the minibar.

"That's fine. I have the movie right here…" she dug around in her suitcase and pulled out the DVD case, turned on the television and inserted the disc into the player. Once it was cued up she pulled off the bedspread and threw it into a corner*, fluffed the pillows and snuggled up on the bed. Edward handed her a drink as he joined her.

They sat there watching the flickering screen in the darkened room, enjoying the exploits of the Bennet girls, discussing Donald Sutherland's performance, and the kinder take on Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's relationship.

"This movie portrays the concept of family a little better than I ever expected an Austen work to do," Edward said. "It's apparent. They all truly love each other – even Mrs. Bennet's over-the-top behavior is done out of love for her daughters and husband."

"I know. I like this family portrayal better but I truly don't think this is how Jane wrote it. She wanted the embittered Mr. Bennet and the flakey, vain Mrs. Bennet to stand as a warning for misplaced values when selecting a spouse."

"So, Jane was the early version of Dear Abby?"

"Exactly. Or Dr. Phil."

They watched as Mr. Bennet quoted poetry to a rather huge hog.

Bella said, "I read that some conservative movie rating sites wanted to rate this movie as suggestive because of the pig's rather bulging male parts as it walked through the barn in that one scene."

"You're kidding, right?" Edward exclaimed but then went on, "True, it may give little girls an unrealistic expectation of what to expect one day."

"What! You mean men don't have scrota that drag the floor? I am really disappointed."

"It would be hard to wear trousers if we did, don't you think?" Edward leaned back against his pillows.

"You know, I always thought that was the real reason that the Scots wore kilts."

"Because their equipment was too big to fit in trousers?"

"Exactly. I've never seen a naked Scotsman before so I don't know for sure."

"You sound disappointed."

"I may be."

"Well, my grandfather was from Scotland. They say I am the spitting image of him."

"Are you offering me the chance to prove my theory?"

Edward smiled at her. Conversation with her was so easy, he was shocked to discover how naturally they had segued into this topic. And here he was offering what? To show her his 'equipment?' And then what? Would she show him hers? He didn't answer, he just smirked and waggled his eyebrows, then turned back to the movie.

They watched as a rain soaked duo revealed themselves to each other – Darcy, his adoration; Elizabeth, her disdain. But there was a moment in that scene that was electric. You could feel the desire they both radiated off of them as Mr. Darcy's mouth hovered just inches away from her aching lips. But they didn't kiss.

"Whew…you can just feel the UST ** in that scene, can't you?" said Bella.

"But poor Darcy. She kicks him to the curb quite cruelly."

"Ah, he deserved it."

Edward looked pained, "How so?"

"By underestimating the girl."

"Underestimating?"

"Yep. He thought that once he deigned to notice her, she'd instantly fall at his feet. He didn't expect anything else, like she had no choice in the matter."

"I guess he did have rather large stick up his butt."

"Damn straight."

The movie went on and after visiting Pemberley, Elizabeth decided she has changed her mind, now she loved Darcy.

"How like a woman -present company excluded, of course- she completely changes her mind once she checks out his possessions. She loves him after all." Edward sounded cynical.

"Maybe, but I really think it was the naked statues that did it. Did you see the way Ol' Lizzy was checking out the man statue. No fig leaves there!" Bella chortled.

"But he wouldn't need a kilt, would he?"

"Who? The statue?"

"Yes.

"No, I guess not. He barely needed a fig leaf."

Edward laughed, "So do you think Lizzy will be disappointed on her wedding night?"

"I don't know. I think with all that UST, they won't wait until the wedding night.

"Really? You think she'll be all up on him before then?"

"Yeah... she can barely help herself. She was practically drooling over the statuary. Five minutes more and she'd have been dry humping that marble hip there."

"But Darcy seems rather a shrinking violet, don't you? He'd have held off on the sexing, I think."

"He's not a shrinking violet! He's brooding. Brooding is mad sexy."

Edward snorted and grinned at her, "Real people don't brood."

"They most certainly do. Even you were doing it downstairs at the reception."

Edward was shocked, "Me? When?"

"When Emmett and Rose started molesting each other at our table, you started staring moodily at the centerpiece and flipping around a fork. That was brooding."

"Oh." He thought a minute then turned to her, "And you thought it was sexy?"

Whoops. She didn't mean to give herself away but at this point she had about three cosmos and almost a whole rum and coke under her belt and evidently that made her mouth operate independently of her brain, "Well, yes. Then I found out why you were brooding and I realized that I didn't have a chance."

Double whoops. That was giving even more of herself away. She looked at her half empty glass of rum and coke accusingly. But it was true, the more she got to know Edward, the more fascinated she was by him.

Edward rolled over on his elbow, closer to her now. "You didn't have a chance for what?"

Bella was thinking about how her completely embarrassed red cheeks, fish belly white skin and blue pjs were probably developing a patriotic complex by now. "I, er… uh. Never mind. It was nothing important."

He smiled at her, "It is important. Maybe I was the one who didn't think I had a chance."

It was Bella's turn to be incredulous, "But you had problems with past tense."

Edward was the one to be confused now, "Past tense?"

"You inferred you had a hard time remembering that your ex-girlfriend was in the past now."

"I said that?" He sounded surprised.

"You said, when I told you I understood past tense, 'I wish I did'. Wasn't that a reference to having problems putting your ex in your past?"

"Oh. Not exactly but I could see how you would take it that way. I wasn't referring to my ex. I was referring to you. I was 'broodily' staring at the centerpiece because I was wishing I could do to you what Emmett was doing to Rose, if you want to know the truth."

"What?" Bella was astonished.

"I've always liked you, Bella. But after that time - you probably don't even remember it, but it was a party we were throwing for Alice's birthday a few years ago—I realized that you probably weren't attracted to me that way. I remember I tried to kiss you and you turned away and said, 'I can't do this.' I thought I'd never have a chance with you."

"Wow. I remember. I turned away then because I had a boyfriend then. I really didn't want to turn away but…" Bella was wondering how to tell him that he most certainly did have a chance with her—more than a chance. Then remembering that actions usually spoke louder than words, she smiled at him, shook her head and leaned in to put her lips against his.

The result was electric. As they deepened their kiss, shock wave after shock wave of pleasure echoed through their bodies and lodged in their nether regions. Edward wrapped his arms around her and entangled his legs with hers.

Groaning with delight, Bella responded and tugged him so that he was on top of her, pressing against her, engulfing her. It felt so right, like they found their own personal missing link. Nothing had ever felt as right as this. Heaven.

Edward intensified their kiss, caressing her tongue with his own. Fire blazed through her veins, exploding in small bursts along her ribcage, her stomach, and lodging in her womb. It felt heavenly.

Sparks were flying all over the place and she wanted him now. She started pulling at his t-shirt and he complied by whipping it off in one sure movement. It was wonderful to smooth her hands over his torso feeling the outline of each muscle. More than anything she wanted to feel her naked chest against his, so she started unbuttoning her pajama top. His hands stilled hers, he pulled back a bit and said, "No, Bella, let me."

As he unbuttoned each button, he pressed open mouth kisses on the skin that was being gradually exposed. Bella moaned in pure pleasure. He didn't stop with her top, though. He reached down to pull at the elastic waist of her bottoms. Bella lifted her hips and he slid them down and away. She was fully exposed to him, carried off by desire and want.

His own clothing was quick to follow and soon Edward was nestled between her thighs. He kissed her breasts, as he pulled her hips up, cupping her buttocks comfortably in his hands. Bella pressed against him in delight. She was shocked at how wound up she already was. It wouldn't take much to set her off in blissful repletion. Edward leaned up to look into her eyes and whispered, "I've dreamed of this for years, Bella."

She didn't respond with words but by pulling him to her aching lips. Their lips met again as their bodies connected. When he pushed himself inside her, they both sighed with the intensity of their feelings. He filled her perfectly. She'd never felt like this - as if he was made for her.

Edward was in heaven. The girl of his dreams was in his arms and he was loving her with every part of himself. He kissed her as he moved within her, feeling her enveloping warmth. His heart pounded joyously as he worshipped her body with his own. The delicious moans she was making encouraged him to continue. Releasing her bottom, he brushed his hands over her hardened nipples as he thrust increasing her pleasure.

She hitched her legs around his body and the new angle pulled him further in; he was the one groaning now. Not being able to resist longer, he arched his back and pumped once, twice, three more times before he exploded within her. It was enough to trip her over the orgasmic edge herself.

They slid back down from the stratosphere together in a long blissful arc. Edward collapsed into Bella's arms, completely contented. As he lay there, he felt her fingers threading through his hair. It made him happy. He rolled off of her and pulled her into his arms as he kissed the top of her head. He knew that he could never let her go. He hoped he could convince her she could feel the same.

The movie was still running. Amidst the cascading notes of the piano, Darcy and Elizabeth revealed their epiphanies in the dawning light and then explained themselves to Mr. Bennet who gave a tearful blessing to their union.

Suddenly the screen went from the morning brightness to the evening's dark softness. The quiet still waters of a lake reflected Pemberley; candle and torch light shedding their starry glow in little points of brightness.

"Look, Bella," Edward whispered. "There are swans swimming on the lake."

Bella's breath caught seeing the elegant creatures, "I have never noticed them before."

"This movie must have been made for you, Miss Swan," Edward chuckled.

She paused a bit then met his loving gaze in his eyes with her own, "No, Edward, but I am beginning to believe you were."

It was Edward's turn to gasp. He stared at the dawning recognition in her eyes and then smiled as he slowly nodded his head.

He pulled her closer to him and kissed her, just as Mr. Darcy was kissing his Mrs. Darcy; first on her forehead; then her ear; then her nose; the corner of her mouth; then, finally, her lips.

Like Elizabeth and Darcy, Bella and Edward had finally come home.

**AN: In this little piece, I indulge my two loves: Austen and Twilight (sorta).**

***hotel bedspreads are rarely washed—can you imagine what's on them? Ugh.**

****UST Unresolved Sexual Tension **


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